Sputtering alloy films using a crescent-shaped aperture

ABSTRACT

A method and system for producing thin film alloy by a sputtering deposition process comprising using a crescent-shaped aperture interposed between the target and substrate of a sputtering deposition system.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a system for producing thin film alloys by sputtering process techniques. In particular, it relates to a system for producing NiTi shape memory alloy films wherein the uniform thickness and composition of the deposited films is controlled through use of a crescent-shaped aperture interposed between the target and substrate of a sputtering deposition system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various metallic materials capable of exhibiting shape-memory characteristics are well known in the art. These shape-memory capabilities occur as the result of the metallic alloy undergoing a reversible crystalline phase transformation from one crystalline state to another crystalline state with a change in temperature and/or external stress. In particular, it was discovered that alloys of nickel and titanium exhibited these remarkable properties of being able to undergo energetic crystalline phase changes at ambient temperatures, thus giving them a shape-memory. These shape-memory alloy (“SMA”) materials, if plastically deformed while cool, will revert, exerting considerable force, to their original, undeformed shape when warmed. These energetic phase transformation properties render articles made from these alloys highly useful in a variety of applications. An article made of an alloy having shape-memory properties can be deformed at a low temperature from its original configuration, but the article “remembers” its original shape, and returns to that shape when heated.

For example, in nickel-titanium alloys possessing shape-memory characteristics, the alloy undergoes a reversible transformation from an austenitic state to a martensitic state with a change in temperature. This transformation is often referred to as a thermoelastic martensitic transformation. The reversible transformation of the NiTi alloy between the austenite to the martensite phases occurs over two different temperature ranges which are characteristic of the specific alloy. As the alloy cools, it reaches a temperature (M_(s)) at which the martensite phase starts to form, and finishes the transformation at a still lower temperature (M_(f)). Upon reheating, it reaches a temperature (A_(s)) at which austenite begins to reform and then a temperature (A_(f)) at which the change back to austenite is complete. In the martensitic state, the alloy can be easily deformed. When sufficient heat is applied to the deformed alloy, it reverts back to the austenitic state, and returns to its original configuration.

SMA materials previously have been produced in bulk form, in the shape of wires, rods, and plates, for utilities such as pipe couplings, electrical connectors, switches, and actuators, and the like. Actuators previously have been developed, incorporating shape-memory alloys or materials, which operate on the principal of deforming the shape-memory alloy while it is below its phase transformation temperature range and then heating it to above its transformation temperature range to recover all or part of the deformation, and, in the process of doing so, create moments of one or more mechanical elements. These actuators utilize one or more shape-memory elements produced in bulk form, and, therefore are limited in size and usefulness.

The unique properties of SMA's further have been adapted to microelectromechanical systems (“MEMS”) applications such as micro-valves and micro-actuators by means of thin film technology. Micro-actuators are desirable for such utilities as opening and closing valves, activating switches, and generally providing motion for micro-mechanical devices. The most well-known and most readily available SMA is an alloy of nickel and titanium. NiTi SMA has been extensively investigated as one of the most promising materials for MEMS such as microvalves and microactuators. NiTi SMA features the major advantages of having a large output force per unit volume, and the capability to serve as structural components as well as active components. It is reported that the advantageous performance of micro-actuators is attributed to the fact that the shape-memory effect of the stress and strain can produce substantial work per unit of volume. For example, the work output of nickel-titanium shape-memory alloy is of the order of 1 joule per gram per cycle. A shape-memory film micro-actuator measuring one square millimeter and ten microns thick is estimated to exert about 64 microjoules of work per cycle. With a temperature change of as little as about 10° C., this alloy can exert a force of as much as 415 MPa when applied against a resistance to changing its shape from its deformation state.

Previous processes involving MEMS have involved two fabrication techniques: machining of bulk SMA sheets or wires and deposition of SMA films from a NiTi alloy target. Unfortunately, these processes feature miniaturization and productivity limitations. Machining and assembly for MEMS devices using bulk SMA materials restricts manufacturing object size such as thickness of sheet and diameter of wire. Deposition processes have the potential of miniaturization and mass production. Deposition of a sputtered flux from a multicomponent target has been practiced for the growth of thin alloy films of a desired composition. It is known, however, that the composition of the sputtered flux varies with the polar angle of ejection from the target because of the different angular distributions of the individual target constituents. Conventional sputter deposition systems typically include a vacuum enclosure forming a sputter deposition chamber in which a circular sputter target is mounted facing opposite a wafer substrate surface. A magnetron cathode source, with means for producing a magnetic field, is set behind the circular target material. After the sputter deposition chamber has been pumped out to create a vacuum therein to the order of 10⁻⁵ Pa, a sputter process gas, such as argon, is fed into the chamber and held at a fixed process pressure. The magnetron cathode generally features a center magnet and an annular magnet surrounding the outer circumferential edge of the center magnet, which develops a magnetic field across the circular target. When voltage is applied, a discharge occurs between the target and the substrate and the target material undergoes a sputtering action and a film made of the target material is deposited on the substrate. An annular erosion region is formed in circular target, caused by rotation of the magnetic field during sputter deposition. In a typical NiTi target deposition process, small Ti plates are put on the top of the target for adjustment of the deposited composition of NiTi SMA films. The deposited film composition is controlled mainly by adjusting the number of plates. This method requires considerable expertise to determine the number, size, geometry, and position of plates, and considerable handwork to set up the apparatus.

Phase transition temperatures and thermo-mechanical properties of SMA's, such as NiTi, are extremely sensitive to compositional makeup. A small change in composition from stoichiometric NiTi causes a large change of the transformation temperature. A transformation temperature difference as large as 100° K can result from a variation in stoichiometric Ni of only 1.0 at %, and any redundant Ti could substantially degrade the mechanical properties of the SMA material. Precise, flexible and simple compositional control is required for effective and efficient SMA film production. Accordingly, inability to adjust the composition of the films easily and precisely has thwarted practical utility of this material in many MEMS applications.

To ensure consistent transition temperatures and favorable shape-memory effect (SME) properties, composition control is the key. In NiTi thin film fabrication processing by sputtering, the first source of composition variation of thin film is from target. Therefore, target composition has to be closely controlled. To minimize oxygen contamination, typically, sputtering targets for shape-memory alloy films are fabricated using alloy process techniques involving numerous steps including melting, remelting, solidification, and even long-time homogenization treatment. Because very high temperature has to be used, these procedures often result in the preferential loss of one or more elements to the others, and the compositional control becomes very difficult. Along with high cost and long processing time, the difficulty in compositional control makes this target-making process very impractical, especially when making large size targets.

A homogenous target for sputtering deposition also is taught to be accomplished by using hot pressing powder metallurgy techniques. In addition to quicker and easier fabrication, and significantly facilitated compositional control, it further has been found that shape-memory alloy thin films produced by sputtering using such hot pressed targets exhibit good mechanical properties and SME, as well as widely ranged phase transition temperatures.

However, even with pressed powder sputter targets, precise compositional control of the blended components is still difficult and inconsistent, due to imperfect mixing of the constituent elements that comprise the target.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Now, an improved sputtering deposition system for forming an alloy film has been developed, whereby the compositional makeup and thickness of the resultant alloy film produced, effectively can be controlled.

According to the present invention, it is recognized that a sputtering deposition process is a divergent beam technology. In order to ensure precision control over the parameters of the deposited film, it is required to make supplemental tuning adjustments, collimation, as well as focusing of the sputtered beam. The present invention comprises an aperture that is interposed between the target of a sputtering deposition system and the substrate onto which a film is deposited. The circular symmetry of the planar cathode and magnetron assembly of a sputter deposition system produces fluxes of nickel and titanium atoms in proportions which change only with radial position on the substrate and not with azimuth. It was determined that if a mask fashioned with a narrow circular slit is interposed co-axially between the substrate and cathode, any flux reaching the substrate is constrained to pass through the slit of fixed radius thereby producing film of fixed composition. It also was determined that oscillatory movement of the substrate beneath the stationary mask will ensure that all parts of the substrate are coated with film of the same composition. However, films produced in this manner, although compositionally uniform, will exhibit substantial thickness variation because wherever the curved slit is locally aligned with the direction of oscillation, the time of exposure to the flux is increased and thickening of the film is enhanced. Now, according to the present invention, it was discovered that if a circular slit is replaced by one produced by sliding a perfect circle a small amount parallel to the direction of oscillation a crescent-shaped aperture is produced which has the property that the time of exposure to flux passing through it is constant for all positions on the slit. The resulting films achieve both compositional and thickness uniformity. Therefore, pursuant to the present invention, a crescent-shaped aperture is interposed between the target and substrate, and, in addition, an oscillating relationship is established between the substrate and said aperture. In this manner, a fine compositional control and thickness uniformity of thin films produced by sputtering deposition can be accomplished.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above discussed and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings, wherein like elements are designated by like numerals in the several figures.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view depicting a crescent-shaped aperture pursuant to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic depicting arrangement of components of a sputter deposition system pursuant to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1, an embodiment of a mask featuring a crescent-shaped aperture, pursuant to the present invention is depicted. The disk shaped mask 30 may be fabricated of any suitable material that can withstand the temperatures encountered during sputtering without warpage or fracture. Suitable materials include stainless steel, copper, titanium, molybdenum, and the like. In general, the mask is a thin, rigid sheet machined to shape by conventional processes, such as EDM, and heat treated in vacuum while under compression in a clamping device at or above the service temperature. The crescent-shaped aperture 32 is produced by marking a perfect circle 14 having a selected radius and then sliding that circle of the selected radius a short chosen amount in the direction that a deposition substrate is intended to be oscillated. A second circle 16 then is marked, thus creating a desired crescent-shape. This crescent-shaped outline then can be machined to produce the crescent-shaped aperture 32, as shown.

An exploded view of the components of a sputter deposition system of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. In operation, the components are contained within a vacuum enclosure forming a sputter deposition chamber (not shown). A circular planar magnetron cathode source assembly 20 is positioned in alignment with and behind a circular target 22, which preferably comprises homogeneous multi-component nickel and titanium containing material. A substrate 24 typically comprising a wafer of silicon or other suitable material, is set opposite target 22. The substrate 24 is mounted on an oscillating stage 26 which slides in oscillating fashion across fixed platen 28. Between target 22 and substrate 24, a mask 30 featuring a crescent-shaped aperture 32 is interposed.

After the sputter deposition chamber is pumped out to create a vacuum therein to the order of about 10⁻⁵ Pa, a sputter process gas, such as argon, is introduced into the chamber and held at a fixed pressure. Under an accelerating voltage applied between the platen 28 and the magnetron cathode assembly 20, a discharge occurs between the target 22 and the substrate 24. The rotation of the magnetic field of the circular annular magnet of the magnetron assembly 20 deflects the ions of the created plasma in such a way as to cause the ions to impact the cathode in a circular ring from which target atoms are ejected as a sputtered flux. A metallic film consisting of the components of the target 22 material is caused to be accumulated on substrate 24. However, the sputtered flux only can reach the substrate 24 by passing through the crescent-shaped aperture 32 of mask 30. The composition of the deposited film on substrate 24 is dependent only upon the radius and width of the crescent aperture 32, accordingly adjusting the opening of the aperture controls the composition. In order to ensure that all areas of the substrate 24 are coated with the same composition, substrate 24 is mounted on stage 26 which preferably oscillates in a direction parallel to the radius that bisects the crescent arc. Since the time of exposure to flux passing through the slit of the crescent-shaped aperture 32 is constant for all portions on the substrate 24, the resulting film deposited on the substrate surface achieves both compositional and thickness uniformity.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration only, and such illustrations and embodiments as have been disclosed herein are not to be construed as limiting to the claims. 

We claim:
 1. A system for forming a thin film deposit of an alloy on a substrate by using a sputtering deposition process comprising: a deposition chamber having a vacuum enclosure; a means for evacuating the vacuum enclosure; a magnetron cathode; a target mounted on the magnetron cathode and having a surface facing into the interior of the vacuum enclosure; and, a substrate positioned within the vacuum enclosure opposite the surface; wherein a crescent-shaped aperture is interposed between said target and said substrate, and an oscillating relationship is established between said substrate and said aperture.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein said substrate and said aperture have an oscillating relationship in the direction of the curvature of the crescent-shaped aperture.
 3. The system of claim 2 wherein said crescent-shaped aperture is fixed, and the substrate is arranged to oscillate in relation to said crescent-shaped aperture.
 4. A method of forming a thin film deposit of an alloy on a substrate by a sputtering deposition process comprising: establishing an oscillating relationship between a target of a sputtering deposition system and a substrate positioned opposite said target; and positioning a mask having a crescent-shaped aperture between the target and the substrate so as to control exposure of the substrate to fluxes emanating from the target and passing through said aperture.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said oscillating relationship is established in a direction parallel to a radius that bisects an arc of the crescent-shaped aperture.
 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the substrate is oscillated in relation to said target.
 7. The method of claim 4 comprising adjusting the opening of said aperture in order to control the alloy composition of a film deposited on said substrate. 